Women’s Division I East
The Eastern Women’s Division I took center stage with its first spring game between undefeated Philadelphia and 1-1 Northern Virginia (NOVA). An early try from captain Avery Rain gave NOVA the lead at the break. The second half was more competitive as Philly closed the gap to 17-12 with ten minutes left but a score from NOVA’s Emily Blease shut the door on a comeback.
“The key to victory was a total team commitment to defense,” NOVA coach Brian Walker said. “Philadelphia is a strong physical team and we knew if we let them get on the front foot early it was going to be a long day for us… I was really impressed with the collective effort the team made to cover for each other. That effort was what made us successful.”
Men’s Division I
With only two Saturdays left until the Men’s Division I semifinals, only one team has wrapped up a playoff berth and five more are still in contention. Rocky Gorge pushed its record to 8-0 atop of the North division after a decisive 36-17 defeat of Baltimore-Chesapeake and second place Schuylkill River tied Norfolk at 29 all to open up a four-point standing lead over third place Pittsburgh.
In the DI South, fullback Kenny Rothmann’s penalty kick in the 78th minute clinched the Potomac Exiles’ 20-17 victory against NOVA. Despite having a losing record, Potomac completed its season at the top of the South with a total of 11 bonus points. NOVA remains in second and can overtake the Exiles with a win against Norfolk on April 6th.
As for Norfolk, the Blues need every point they can muster against Rocky Gorge this Saturday and then NOVA to close out the season. Adding to its uphill climb, Norfolk’s equipment trailer full of all of its rugby gear was stolen. Some items have been recovered but the Blues have set up a GoFundMe page to replace what was stolen. If you wish to donate, here is the link: https://www.gofundme.com/ktwra-norfolk-rugby-trailer.
Men’s Division II
With the top four in the North and South advancing to the playoffs in Men’s Division II and only two weeks left, the competition for those eight spots is fierce. In the North, idle Doylestown stayed at #1 while Old Gaelic inched closer to the top spot with a 29-7 win over North Penn. In a clash of third versus fourth, Philadelphia-Whitemarsh beat South Jersey, 19-14.
Down in the South, James River solidified its hold on second place with a 12-0 defensive victory over Washington while Richmond jumped Virginia into third place with a 27-14 win between the clubs. Idle Raleigh remained in first and will travel to James River this Saturday to conclude their season.
Women’s Division II
With the Women’s Division II North off until next weekend, the South shined. The Norfolk Storm improved its record to 4-1 with a 90-0 beatdown of the DC Furies. Outside center Donna Dzieman was the star of the entire conference with six tries and ten conversions. Third place James River halted a two-game losing streak to move above 0.500 with a 32-19 comeback win against Chesapeake.
Men’s Division III
Men’s Division III was the most active with ten games between the North and Central divisions. The top eight in the North are all but set with the Northeast Philadelphia Irish, Brandywine, Jersey Shore, and Schuylkill River advancing to the quarterfinals out of the Blue division and Media, Wilkes-Barre Scranton, Reading, and Hibernians ready in the Red. The one change that could occur is if Happy Valley upset Media with a bonus point on Saturday and the Hibernians fell to Wilkes-Barre.
In the ultra-competitive Division III Central, three teams are tied for first at 6-3 and two more are one standing point behind with the top four earning postseason tickets. The Washington Irish’s 28-23 win over Western Suburbs put the DC club into a tie with Severn River and Suburbs for the top spot. Rocky Gorge’s 54-24 dismantling of the Washington Renegades put it into a tie for fourth with their opponent. It’s win or go home on Saturday as six teams (which includes 6-3 North Bay) have a shot at the divisional semifinals on April 6th.
Women’s Division III:
For Women’s Division III, the North starts its spring this weekend but the South opened up shop on Saturday. The Maryland Stingers lead the division with an unblemished 6-0 record following a forfeiture by Patuxent River and Rappahannock’s 49-5 walkover of NOVA moved the team into second place.
Men’s Division IV:
Lastly, Men’s Division IV is boiling down to the final two teams for the championships on May 4th. The Washington Renegades finished their season undefeated by crushing the Washington Scandals, 47-5, and Prince William County broke the century mark against the Baltimore Flamingos, 102-3 to hold onto second.
Complete Results Below:
| HOME | SCORE | AWAY | SCORE | DIVISION |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schuylkill River Exiles | 29 | Norfolk Blues | 29 | Men - DI |
| Northern Virginia Rugby | 17 | Potomac Exiles | 20 | Men - DI |
| Baltimore-Chesapeake Brumbies | 17 | Rocky Gorge Rugby | 36 | Men - DI |
| Lehigh Valley Hooligans | 21 | Wilmington Rugby | 34 | Men - DII-North |
| Phoenixville White Horse | 26 | Lancaster Roses | 42 | Men - DII-North |
| Philadelphia Whitemarsh Rugby | 19 | South Jersey Devils | 14 | Men - DII-North |
| North Penn Rugby | 7 | Old Gaelic Rugby | 29 | Men - DII-North |
| Virginia Rugby | 14 | Richmond Lions | 27 | Men - DII-South |
| James River Rugby | 12 | Washington Rugby | 0 | Men - DII-South |
| Northern Virginia Rugby D3 | 31 | Frederick Rugby | 42 | Men - DIII-Central |
| Virginia Griffins | 54 | Baltimore-Chesapeake Brumbies D3 | 21 | Men - DIII-Central |
| Washington Renegades | 24 | Rocky Gorge Rugby D3 | 52 | Men - DIII-Central |
| Western Suburbs Rugby | 22 | Washington Irish D3 | 29 | Men - DIII-Central |
| West Potomac Beavers | 10 | North Bay Rugby | 17 | Men - DIII-Central |
| Brandywine Rugby | 37 | Delmarva Rugby | 28 | Men - DIII-North |
| Harrisburg Rugby | Postponed | Reading Rugby | Postponed | Men - DIII-North |
| Media Rugby | 63 | Happy Valley Barbarians | 0 | Men - DIII-North |
| Hibernians Rugby | 12 | Wilkes-Barre Scranton Breakers | 48 | Men - DIII-North |
| Blackthorn Rugby | 12 | Philadelphia Gryphons | 29 | Men - DIII-North |
| North Bay Rugby D4 | 29 | Phoenixville White Horse | 22 | Men - DIV |
| Patuxent River Rugby | 57 | Western Suburbs Rugby D4 | 5 | Men - DIV |
| Prince William County Rugby | 102 | Baltimore Flamingos | 3 | Men - DIV |
| Washington Renegades D4 | 47 | Washington Scandals | 5 | Men - DIV |
| Northern Virginia Rugby | 22 | Philadelphia Rugby | 12 | Women - Eastern DI |
| D.C. Furies D2 | 0 | Norfolk Storm | 90 | Women - DII-South |
| James River Rugby | 32 | Chesapeake Rugby | 19 | Women - DII-South |
| Maryland Stingers | Win | Patuxent River Rugby | Forfeit | Women - DIII-South |
| Northern Virginia Rugby D3 | 5 | Rappahannock Rugby | 49 | Women - DIII-South |
